Constance Jennings Rhodes Lue

Constance Jennings Rhodes Lue departed this life peacefully surrounded by family and friends on August 31, 2016. She was born September 11, 1936 to the late Richard Franklin Rhodes and Violet Jennings Rhodes in Portsmouth, Va. She was raised in the Norfolk area graduating from Maury High School where she met her lifelong sweetheart, the late Rex Fred Lue, Jr. They were married on July 10, 1955 and remained devoted soul mates for 55 years until his death in 2010. They made their home in the Tidewater , VA area, raising their three children. She devoted her children's younger years to being a stay at home mother and an active participant in their educational activities. Later she enjoyed driving a Virginia Beach school bus transporting special needs students. These students brought great joy to her life. For retirement they moved to Kerr Lake in Warren County, NC, where the young family had spent many vacations camping at Palmer Point campground. There they enjoyed many sunsets, boat rides and time with family and friends making many lifetime memories on the lake. In her later years her love of Tea took her from San Francisco to London, England. In her travels she studied under Jane Pettigrew, of London, England and Dorothea Johnson, of The Protocol School of Washington, to become the Southern Tea Lady. She then used her education to teach others about the fine art of Tea and civility at the Virginia Beach Adult Learning Center and Vance Granville Community College. Through these classes two Tea Societies were formed and are still active today, The Virginia Tea Society and The Old North State Tea Society. She was very community minded, and a strong activist for the down trodden, always striving to help and better others in any way she could. This spirit endeared her to many people through the years as she worked to make a difference. In addition to her parents and husband she is preceded in death by sisters, Judy Felici and Sandy Johnson. She is survived by brothers, Richard Rhodes, Jr. and Scott Rhodes both of VA. Daughters, Deborah Johnson, Winston Salem, NC and Dee Pinnell (Dennis) of Palmer Springs, VA and a son, Rick Lue (Amy) of Oxford, NC. She had 8 grandchildren, Becky Miller, Katie Starr, Chris Johnson, Scott Hunt, Eric Pinnell, Adam Pinnell, Harris Lue, Lina Lue, and 9 great grandchildren. She also leaves behind many extended family members and dear friends. There will be a celebration of her life on Wednesday, September 7th, 5 to 8 pm at Gentry, Newell and Vaughan funeral home in Oxford, NC. The family encourages anyone that would like to share stories of Constance to please come prepared to do so. There will be a graveside service at a later date at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Norfolk, VA. Flowers are welcome or you may make a donation in her memory to the ASPCA to help keep animals in need. A memorial graveside service will be held on Saturday, October 8, 2016 at 1:00 pm at Forest Lawn Cemetery, 8100 Granby St., Norfolk, VA 23505.